


December 2 - 23 obstinate oliphaunts

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Multi-Age, Other - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2005-12-02
Packaged: 2018-03-22 21:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3744497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today's writing "mathom" is:</p><p>twenty-three obstinate oliphaunts</p><p>***</p><p>Write whatever you feel like – a drabble, a poem or a short story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Equally Obstinate - by Gwynnyd

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

One oliphaunt was daunting.  Aragorn rapidly counted the animals milling in the valley below him. A herd of twenty-three...  he swallowed hard.  
  
To get the job, he had to find the lead oliphaunt, take hold of the red ring on her head and lead her out. The rest would follow.  Red?  It had sounded like _red_.  
  
Shouldering past a curious youngster not much larger than a horse, he grabbed a red ring and tugged. She rolled her eyes.  Planting his feet, he tugged harder, and found himself on his back with the herd leisurely heading away.  He stood and followed.  
  



	2. Dec 2: twenty-three obstinate oliphaunts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

Why Twenty-three!  
  
Oh, this time Father was really trying to outdo himself! Every year, for the celebration of Longest Night, his father insisted on having the most elaborate festivities in town. Last year, there was more food than anyone could eat and the musicians played until sunrise.  
  
Sahar looked forward to the two dozen dancers Father had hired this year as well as the cooks from the northlands providing exotic foods no one had ever seen. But he could not be enthusiastic about the task his father had given him. One of these obstinate beasts was bad enough! Twenty-three oliphaunts were going to drive him mad before the party began.


	3. Noise - RiverOtter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

Noise  
  
Oliphants trumpet  
Twenty-three bellow and scream  
Very obstinate


	4. 23 Obstinate Oliphaunts - by Stefania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

"I think the Sultan of Near Harad was laughing behind our backs when he gave them to us as part of the peace negotiations," the King Elessar sighed as he gazed down the broad table. His councillors listened politely though some seem rather confused. "So now they lounge within their fenced area, doing nothing but trampling the turf on the Pelennor, making a ruckus and a mess. That doesn't even get into the cost of feeding all 23 of them. Each seems to require a tree a day."  
  
Aragorn caught Hurin, the Keeper of the Keys, chuckling behind his hand. "Be thankful I haven't ordered them moved within the gates of the city." The Keeper sat up abruptly and turned his attention to his sovereign.  
  
"I should think that one of my intelligent and capable counsellors might have a suggestion as how to deal with these mumakil. Mmmm, what say you, Director of Public Works?"  
  
"Why, yes indeed, I do have a few ideas that might work," Prince Imrahil eagerly leaned in to the table. "The Minas Ithil environmental program is stalled. We have so much trash, waste, and all manner of foul products that need to be hauled out of the city remnants and into the Morgul Vale to be burned. The Rangers have built carts for this enterprise, but they are too heavy for even a team of four horses to pull. If we could train the mumakil as draft beasts, then we could get back on track with the greater Morgul Vale superfund initiative."  
  
"That would be an environmentally sound idea, Imrahil," Aragorn said, "if we could only train them. Alas, those beasts are so obstinate and willful. They carried troups of Haradrim on their backs into battle. But now each refuses to have a single man so much as try to jump on his back."  
  
"That's right," Imrahil agreed. "And I propose we hire the right people as their handlers. It would also help to solve the problem my nephew and his Rangers have been having with homeless vagrants squating in Ithilien. At the last comment, Faramir raised a skeptical eyebrow but kept silent.  
  
Imrahil rolled out a parchment that he placed on the table for all to see. "Councellors, I propose that the Rangers post copies of this recruitment announcement on convenient trees within a ten mile radius of the Morgul Vale. It says:  
  
"Wanted: Strong bodied and strong minded Uruks, Orcs, and others over the height of 5'10"  
  
The Gondorian government is now hiring trainers, drovers, and stable attendants for our large fleet of hearty Mumakil. Experience with Mumakil a plus thought not necessary. Good pay, pre-fab accomodations are guaranteed, and no Nazguls for managers.  
  
Sex and color unimportant. We are an equal-opportunity employer. Send all queries to the attention of Faramir, Prince of Ithilien, Emyn Arnen"  
  
The councellors all applauded this latest and greatest of Imrahil's public projects.  
  
All except Faramir, who said, "You propose to post these announcements wherever we think enclaves of Orcs might be hiding?"  
  
"That's right," Imrahil said brightly.  
  
"Uncle, I did not know Orcs and Uruks were literate in Westron."  
  



	5. To War by Aranel Took

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

"Get those beasts moving!" the captain yelled. 

Hastin scowled at the man far below him. What did the captain--a city man born in luxury--know of oliphaunts?

He turned and whistled at his fellow keepers, signaling them to follow him. Twenty-two oliphaunts lined up behind his mount. He patted her bristly head and leaned closer to her ear. "We must go now, sweet."

He looked ahead at the dark land draped in smoke from the fiery mountain. It didn't surprise him that the oliphaunts refused to go any closer. He had learned long ago they were smarter than men.


	6. Twenty-three Obstinate Oliphants - by Dean Maia of Este

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

Twenty-three Obstinate Oliphants  
  
The Haradrim commander looked abashed as the Guard commander spoke to Faramir.  
  
"I have known Ibmahem since the surrender. If he says he cannot control his beasts, I believe him."  
  
Faramir looked at the swath of destruction the twenty-three Oliphants left behind them, then at the beasts themselves as they calmly ripped branches off trees and ate the leaves while ignoring the poking and prodding of the handlers.  
  
"They do not leave because there is so much food here?" he asked.  
  
"Yes my lord Steward. But Ibmahem requests some troops from us to help drive, we do nothing that will hurt man or beast."  
  
Faramir watched one of the smaller Oliphants pull a tree up and sweep the handlers – gently - away with it.  
  
"Very well, use as many men as you need. Just … do not make them mad.  
  
The commander watched the Oliphant drop the tree. "We will not."  
  



	7. Henneth Annûn - by Agape4Gondor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today's writing "mathom" is:

## Henneth Annûn

The ground shook. The men watched Faramir to see his response.    
  
"Why doesn't he take them back to the Shire with him?" Damrod queried. Others grumbled, asking the same thing. None had ever taken such advantage of the Steward. Though the war was over, they had not abandoned their Ithilien headquarters.    
  
But, if the trampling continued… If Gimli hadn't taught them to dance… If they would only go somewhere else… But no! **_Twenty-three obstinate oliphants_** were making it very difficult to keep the roof on the cave.    
  
Henneth Annun, since Sam had started collecting oliphants, had become a dangerous place.


End file.
